Are you on a tight budget but still want to eat healthy? You're not alone.
Many people struggle with finding nutritious meals that don't break the bank.
The good news is that eating cheap doesn't have to mean eating unhealthy.
In fact, with a little planning and some love for cooking, you can create tasty and healthy meals that will impress your family and guests.
Great chefs know that the best meal doesn't have to be expensive.
By following a few simple tips, such as making a meal plan, buying in bulk, and cooking at home, you can save money and eat healthily.
In this article, we will explore some cheap meal ideas that are easy and quick to make, including macaroni with tomato sauce, sautéed potatoes, quinoa, and black beans.
These meals are not only budget-friendly but also packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are good for your health.
How to eat CHEAP but HEALTHY?
If you have a Good Recipe, a little will, and a LOVE FOR COOKING cheap meals can become a real culinary achievement.
This is a little secret of Great Chefs: The Best Meal doesn't have to be expensive.
Here's how you can SAVE MONEY and Eat Healthy:
- Before buying groceries, always make a Meal Plan.
- Buy in large supermarkets.
- Buy large packages because they are always cheaper.
- Buy on sale.
- Cook for yourself and avoid restaurants. Huge savings, while you know that you have prepared a Healthy Meal.
- Do not throw food! Food that you could not eat, put into small containers and freeze.
There are many Cheap Meals Ideas.
The best thing is: Cheap Meals are Easy and Quick! Learn how to make Healthy and Cheap Meals.
Impress the family or guests!
MACARONI WITH TOMATO SAUCE
- Packing of macaroni
- minced tomatoes 24 oz
- 1 onion
- One-half cloves of garlic
- 5 tablespoons oil
- Season to taste (parsley, oregano, salt ...)
Preparation:
- Cook the macaroni in salted water.
- Be careful that you do not overcook.
- Sauce: Heat the oil and fry the chopped onions.
- When it is half-fried, add the garlic and spices.
- Pour the sauce over the macaroni.
- Wonderful, Cheap, and Quick Family Meal that everyone likes.
- Why is this Cheap Meal so Healthy and Good for you?
- Tomatoes contain lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants.
- It is scientifically proven that lycopene (especially in cooked tomatoes) helps in the prevention of serious diseases, such as cancer.
- Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, carotene, vitamin B1, and vitamin E.
- Tomatoes contain a lot of manganese, iron, copper, and potassium.
YUMMY POTATOES
You need:
- 32 oz potatoes
- 4 eggs
- Milk 1 cup
- Butter (a few pieces)
- Salt, pepper (to taste)
- Mashed garlic (according to taste)
Preparation:
- Peel potatoes, wash, and cut them into thin slices. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Whisk eggs with milk and add a pinch of salt. Add garlic.
- Baking dish lubricated with butter, pour potatoes into a baking dish, and arrange. Pour the eggs and milk and put up a few pieces of butter.
- Put in the heated oven and bake the meal, until golden brown.
Why is this Cheap Meal so Healthy for you?
Potato is a Healthy vegetable that contains lots of vitamins and minerals.
Potatoes provide energy to our body, it is easy to digest and can be eaten with almost every type of food. For these reasons, this is a Great Cheap Family Meal.
Sauteed Potatoes
These simply sauteed potatoes are easier to make than you might think, and they make a fantastic potato side dish!.
We will show you how to make delicious family-friendly recipes. I don't think I could ever get bored of potatoes as a side dish and these sauteed potatoes are really easy to make, and they make a great alternative to roast potatoes or even fries.
You need:
- 120 ml vegetable oil
- 3 medium floury potatoes - approx. 700g or 1.5 lbs- such as Maris Piper - peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 fat clove of garlic - peeled and minced
Preparation:
- I've got three floury potatoes, I'm going to peel and chop into one-inch or about two-and-a-half-centimeter chunks.
- Place the chopped potatoes in a pan of cold water bring it to a boil and then simmer for five minutes.
- Turn off the heat and drain off the water.
- Carefully give them a shake to fluff up the potatoes slightly.
- To saute something basically means to cook it quickly in a pan with a little bit of fat, so we're going to take 120 ml or half a cup of vegetable oil and heat it over high heat in a large frying pan.
- Place the potatoes in the pan and cook on high turning often until very lightly browned, this should take about five minutes.
- Then we're going to sprinkle on a good pinch, about half a teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and cook again turning often for a further five minutes until golden brown.
- Turn off the heat and allow it to cool for 30 seconds then add the garlic to the pan. Give it a good stir to infuse the garlic flavor in the potatoes, and then we're ready to serve.
- And there you go they're my simple crispy fluffy sauteed potatoes.
- They'll go fantastically well with my chicken and creamy white wine sauce or Tuscan chicken, so check them out really hope you enjoyed the recipe.
Quinoa and Black beans
You need:
- 1 teaspoon
- vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3/4 cup quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon
- Cayenne pepper salt and ground
- black pepper
- 1 cup frozen
- Corn kernels
- 2 (15-ounce) cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation:
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until lightly browned about 10 minutes.
- Mix quinoa into an onion mixture and cover with vegetable broth; season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until quinoa is tender and broth are absorbed, about 20 minutes.
- Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer until heated through about 5 minutes.
- Mix in the black beans and cilantro.
Pancake
You need:
- Egg 1 piece
- Sugar 1/3 cup
- Salt 1 pinch
- Oil 2 tbsp
- Milk 1/2 cup
- All-purpose flour 1 cup
- Baking powder 1 tsp
Preparation:
- Mix well and make a smooth batter.
- Cook on always low flame.
- After 2/3 mins flip it.
- Cook for 1 min.
Pancake is ready, I hope you will enjoy it.
Eating healthy does not have to be expensive. With a little bit of planning and a love for cooking, one can create cheap, healthy, and tasty meals.
Making a meal plan, buying in bulk, and cooking at home are some ways to save money and eat healthily. This article has provided some cheap meal ideas that are easy and quick to make, such as macaroni with tomato sauce, sauteed potatoes, quinoa, and black beans.
These meals are not only budget-friendly but also packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are good for your health.
With these tips and meal ideas, anyone can impress their family and guests while also staying within their budget and eating healthily.
FAQs
Q: How can you eat healthy on a tight budget?
Eating healthy on a tight budget can be achieved by planning meals, buying in bulk, buying on sale, cooking at home, and not wasting food.
Q: What are some cheap meal ideas that are healthy?
Some cheap meal ideas that are healthy include macaroni with tomato sauce, sautéed potatoes, quinoa, and black beans.
Q: Why are tomatoes good for you?
Tomatoes are good for you because they contain lycopene, which is a powerful natural antioxidant that helps prevent serious diseases like cancer. Tomatoes are also rich in vitamin C, carotene, vitamin B1, and vitamin E. They also contain a lot of manganese, iron, copper, and potassium.
Q: What are the health benefits of potatoes?
Potatoes are a healthy vegetable that contains lots of vitamins and minerals. Potatoes provide energy to our body, are easy to digest, and can be eaten with almost every type of food.
Q: What is sauteing?
Sauteing means cooking something quickly in a pan with a little bit of fat.